This invention relates in general to body and frame assemblies for vehicles. More specifically, this invention relates to an improved structure for such a vehicle body and frame assembly that includes a structure that is capable of absorbing energy in a controlled manner during a collision, thereby providing additional safety to the occupants of the vehicle.
Many land vehicles in common use, such as automobiles, vans, and trucks, include a body and frame assembly that is supported upon a plurality of ground-engaging wheels by a resilient suspension system. The structures of known body and frame assemblies can be divided into two general categories, namely, separate and unitized. In a typical separate body and frame assembly, the structural components of the body portion and the frame portion of the vehicle are separate and independent from one another. When assembled, the frame portion of the assembly is resiliently supported upon the vehicle wheels by the suspension system and serves as a platform upon which the body portion of the assembly and other components of the vehicle can be mounted. Separate body and frame assemblies of this general type are found in most older vehicles, but remain in common use today for many relatively large or specialized use modern vehicles, such as large vans, sport utility vehicles, and trucks. In a typical unitized body and frame assembly, the structural components of the body portion and the frame portion are combined into an integral unit that is resiliently supported upon the vehicle wheels by the suspension system. Unitized body and frame assemblies of this general type are found in many relatively small modem vehicles, such as automobiles and minivans.
A recent trend in the development of passenger, sport utility, pickup truck, and other vehicles has been to design the various components of the vehicle in such a manner as to absorb energy during a collision, thereby providing additional safety to the occupants of the vehicle. As a part of this trend, it is known to design portions of the vehicle body and frame assembly so as to be at least partially collapsible during a collision so as to absorb to energy. To accomplish this, it is known to form such portions of the vehicle body and frame assembly to have corrugated or similarly deformed shapes that are somewhat weaker than the other non-deformed portions of the vehicle body and frame assembly. During a collisions, such deformed portions are designed to be the first portions of the vehicle body and frame assembly that are axially collapsed. Thus, the absorption of energy during a collision occurs in a somewhat controlled manner. A variety of such pre-deformed axially collapsible vehicle body and frame assembly structures are known in the art. Nonetheless, it would be desirable to provide an improved structure for a vehicle body and frame assembly including a structure that is capable of absorbing energy in a controlled manner during a collision, thereby providing additional safety to the occupants of the vehicle. In particular, it would also be desirable to provide such an energy absorbing structure that is replaceable after a collision.
This invention relates to a vehicle frame assembly including a structure that is capable of absorbing energy in a controlled manner during a collision, thereby providing additional safety to the occupants of the vehicle. The vehicle frame assembly can include a pair of longitudinally extending side rails having a plurality of transverse cross members extending therebetween. One or more energy absorbing structures can be provided at the front end of each of the side rails or elsewhere on the vehicle frame assembly. In a first embodiment, the energy absorbing structure includes a hollow nose cap that is secured to the front end of the side rail. The nose cap includes a first portion that is received telescopically with the front end of the side rail and a second portion that extends from the first portion. The second portion of the nose cap is preferably formed integrally with the first portion and has an outer size that is larger than the outer size of the first portion so as to define a first shoulder therebetween. The nose cap further includes a third portion that extends from the second portion and has an outer size that is somewhat smaller than the inner size of the second portion so as to define a second shoulder therebetween. If a relatively large force is exerted against the outermost end of the third portion of the nose cap, the second shoulder will bend, allowing the third portion of the nose cap to move telescopically inwardly relative to the second portion. Such bending of the second shoulder and concurrent telescopic movement of the third portion within the second portion absorbs energy from the collision. In a second embodiment, the energy absorbing structure includes a first portion that is formed integrally with the front end of the side rail and a second portion that extends therefrom. The second portion is preferably formed having an outer size that is somewhat smaller than the inner size of the first portion so as to define a shoulder therebetween. In a third embodiment, the energy absorbing structure includes a first hollow member that is received telescopically with the front end of the side rail in engagement with one or more inwardly extending first tabs formed thereon. Similarly, a second hollow member is received telescopically with the first hollow member in engagement with one or more inwardly extending second tabs formed thereon. If a relatively large force is exerted against the outermost end of the second member, the tabs will bend, allowing the second member to move telescopically inwardly relative to the first member and the first member to move telescopically inwardly relative to the front end of the side rail. Such bending of the tabs and concurrent telescopic movement of the members absorbs energy from the collision.
Various objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, when read in light of the accompanying drawings.